1. Start young!!!
2. Go get your parents bring them to the screen right now. Parent's buy your kids a computer with photoshop a wacom tablet and some DVD training videos on being an artist. Thats all they need in todays world to be great later!
3. Stay focused learn to draw the human form in your sleep. Start out small say draw 100 heads until you master drawing the human head.
Here are books from an artist named Andrew Loomis which died and all his books became free domain. Download them study them and start drawing . Books are located here
5. Draw in class! Yep this is a teacher telling you to draw in class. Why? it's a proven fact that the brain of a young person can memorize and focus better if they do not pay attention to the instructors manuarisms as they teach. Listening as you draw is a great way to memorize.
6. Students will draw evil stuff at an early age. Don't discourage it! These kids always pan out later. Parents let them draw skulls. In fact its funny thats one of my first lessons in my class.